Canadian Soldier Charged... (crimes, military, charges)

[StuckPA]

Mmkay...isn't this the reason we're all fighting there is to actually get rid of the taliban? So why was he charged? Wasn't he just doing his job?...

Cdn soldier charged with murder in death of Taliban soldier
7:51AM
1/2/2009

A Canadian soldier has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a presumed Taliban fighter in Helmand province.

Capt. Robert Semrau is accused of shooting an unarmed man during a battle in October in which Afghan soldiers defended the Helmand capital of Lashkar Gah from a prolonged attack by insurgents.

A news release says the major crimes unit of Canada's military police charged Semrau on Dec. 31, 2008. He is being held in military police custody before being returned to Canada.

Afghan soldiers in Helmand for the Lashkar Gah mission were being supervised by Canadian military mentors and were backed up by British forces.

Afghan and NATO officials claimed at least 100 Taliban died in the fighting. (The Canadian Press, ccg)

[mikeyyc]

As strange as it sounds, there are Rules of War that we as "civilized" nations choose to follow.

One of those rules is not killing unarmed combatants. Believe me, if they brought him up on charges, this wasn't a killing in the midst of a firefight, but something separate or after the main battle.